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Heidi Tagliavini Stated Georgia Is Responsible for the Out-Break of the War in August of 2008

April 29, 2010
 

On April 28, at the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE, the head of the EU Fact-Finding Commission on Georgia-Russian War Heidi Tagliavini blamed the Georgian side in provoking the war once again. However, she also mentioned “substantial and multiple” violations of international norms by Russia. Everybody liked Tagliavni’s statement at the session. The Georgian newspaper “Resonance” wrote about it in the article of Malkhaz Gagua “Tagliavini Blamed CoE in Launching the War.”

 

 

 

According to the article, every speaker considered himself/herself responsible to start their speeches with the substantial compliments about the Swiss diplomat. Neither Georgian nor Russian MPs were lazy to praise her. However, each of them focused on the aspects which were acceptable only for them. In parallel to the Tagliavini’s speech, the assembly had to discuss the resolution on the political impact of the Russian-Georgian war and poll on it; but because of the disagreement between the two speakers – Mathias Iorsh and David Wilsher the issue was postponed for October. By that time, Iorsh – pro-Georgian speaker will not be the member of the assembly any longer.

 


Heidi Tagliavini started the essential part of her speech was reply to the most-frequently asked question – “who provoked the war?” The commission concluded it was Georgia which bombed Tskhinvali on the night of August 7-8 by heavy-artillery and launched military attack.

 

 

 

“None of the clarifications provided by the Georgian side to prove the break-out of the war, was not confirmed after detailed investigation,” said the chairwoman of the EU-funded fact-finding commission. She added: “Furthermore, the allegation of the Georgian side on the invasion of the significant part of regular army of Russia in the region before August 7 is not confirmed either.”

 

 

 

In parallel to it, Tagliavini said, the attack of August 7 is not a separate case. Before that were months and years of controversy, incidents and worsened relationship. Both sides are guilty in it. Although Georgia is responsible for the break-out of the war, Russia is guilty for the substantial and multiple violation of the international law. Tagliavini means distribution of Russian passports among the population in Abkhazia and South Ossetia; for the invasion in the Georgian territory which cannot be explained by the protection of their peace-keepers. In addition to that, Swiss diplomat stated the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia contradicts the international law.

 

 

 

“The allegations of the Russian and Ossetian sides about the genocide committed by Georgian armed forces are groundless,” said Tagliavini and in parallel to it she confirmed the facts of ethnic cleansing against Georgian population. She said, there are serious complaints against Russian army which “did not or could not resist armed formations from Tskhinvali to commit violent crimes” on the territories which were controlled by them.

 

 

 

“In fact, there was nothing new in the statement of Tagliavini for those who have read the commission report. As a result, the debates were not very noisy. Most speakers demanded Russia to execute or at least respect previous resolutions; however nobody spoke about concrete measures which can be taken if the obligations are not executed or respected,” said the correspondent of the Resonance.

 

 

 

“The position of the co-speakers of the CoE is also divided. There is gap regarding this issue in the CoE,” said Mathias Iorsh after he left the session together with David Wilsher, British co-speaker of the monitoring committee about Georgia-Russian War.

 

 

 

“Many people think that we have to put up with the new reality. I think, Europe shall not accept new Yalta. I am leaving the council with light heart because I hope my colleagues will not put up with it,” said Iorsh.

 

 

 

Because of the controversy, the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE could not discuss the question of Russian-Georgian war. The point is that Iorsh and Wilsher released diametrically controversial reports. Georgian society knows the position of Iorsh very well; David Wilsher has very warm relationship with the Russian authority.

 

 

 

“This question was raised at the meeting of the monitoring committee before the session started and later it was discussed at the bureau on Wednesday where through the initiative of the Georgian side it was decided not to discuss the question at the session and focus only on Tagliavini’s report. Georgian delegation said the reason of their decision was the visit of David Wilsher in the de-facto embassy of Tskhinvali region in Moscow which caused doubts about the partiality of the speaker. It is noteworthy that Iorsh’s term in the assembly expires in May and soon a new speaker will replace him.

 

 

 

“The Assembly will discuss the resolution on Georgian-Russian war in October. The Russian delegation seemed pleased with the result. The head of the delegation Konstantine Kosachov stated the situation is improving in their favor. And it is so – unlike the sessions of the last year, nobody mentioned the dismissal of Russia from the Assembly in April. Simply, several MPs reminded Russia to execute previous resolutions,” said the correspondent for the Resonance.

 

 

 

 Based on the Interpresnews

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